Genealogy Chat

this thread is just for the origin of names - is that what you want? if you are looking for assistance with research you should post this on Trying to Find

Recorded in several spellings including Brassill, Brazil, and Breazeall, this surname has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the South American country. It is Irish, and was formerly only recorded in ancient times in the County of Wexford, in the south east cormer of the country. It derives from the pre 10th century Gaelic O' Breasail, which translates literally as "The descendant of the one involved in strife". Almost all true Gaelic surnames have a nickname as the base, and usually from ten centuries or more ago. These base names referred to the real or supposed characteristics of the then chief. Some of these characteristics were very robust indeed, and included such meanings as "ugly head" or "fickle", which not everybody would regard as complimentary. This does not seem to have worried the people of ancient times, suggesting perhaps that to them the meaning at the time, may have been different from today's interpretation. Early examples of the surname recording taken from authentic surviving records and charters include William Braseile, the son of John Braseile, christened at the church of St John the Baptist, Dublin, on November 7th 1652, Thomas Brazil, a witness at the town of Waterford, on October 19 1863, and Hannah Brassell, a witness at the town of Newmarket on Fergus, on July 22nd 1864.

nudge for Morag

Hi Tereasa
My Irish 2x g grandfather's surname was Lawler born in Tipperary, I would be interested in anything you can find.
Regards Brenda

This most interesting surname is a variant of the Irish surname Lawlor, which is of Old Gaelic origin, as the Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O'Leathlobhair", composed of the Gaelic prefix "O", male descendant of, and a personal name composed of the elements "leath", half (meaning "somewhat, fairly"), and "-labor", leprous, sick. Hence the name seems to have been originally a byname for a man of unhealthy constitution. The name is also found as Lalour and Lalor, and the prefix has been almost entirely dropped in the present day. The surname itself is widespread in the province of Leinster, especially in County Leix (Laois). The O'Lalors were one of the Seven Septs of Leix, and were located near the famous Rock of Dunamase in County Leix, from where they were driven by English invaders during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. Peter Lalor (1823 - 1889) led the insurgent miners at Eureka, Australia, in 1854, and subsequently became a minister and speaker of the Legislative Council of Victoria. Catherine, daughter of William Lawler, was christened at St. Margaret's, Westminster, London, on August 18th 1633. A Coat of Arms granted to the family depicts a red lion rampant guardant on a gold shield. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Harry Lalor, Hero of the massacre of Mullaghmast, which was dated 1577, in "Records of County Leix", during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.


Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Lawler#ixzz0lrx6SN00

Hi there Ann of green gables. just spotted this thread and was going to add a couple of surnames to the list and interestingly enough two names in my tree are in the first request. i have not previously had any info on origins of the names however I think you have helped me with research on "Toner" and maybe also " McCarthy ". These names were listed back in the first request and you mentioned they were familiar to you. Coincidence ( maybe ). Gets the juices flowing though. I will try to message the poster also. The two names are on different sides of the family ( McCarthy mine, Toner hubby.) Would be pretty funny if they were looking at the same families!

my mothers name was omahoney and she was born in limerick

I am attempting to trace my irsh roots from Hilltown, County Down Ireland.
Names are
McComish
Murphy
O'Hare
McComiskey
They all lived around the Leod Townlands!
any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

I am trying to find more information on my Irish roots, the surnames being:Kenny, Cain and Foster. I know the Fosters came from County Cavan, but do not know anything about the Kenny or Cains.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

Rachel

think you'll find we've already done Kenny and Cain if you look back

Foster not Irish


Last name: Foster
This very interesting English medieval surname, the family name of the Lords Oriel of Ireland, has at least four possible origins. The first is an occupational name for a saddle tree maker, a very important occupation seven hundred or more years ago. Here the derivation is from the Old French "fustier", itself originating from the word "fustre", meaning a block of wood. This term was introduced into Britain after the 1066 Norman French invasion. Secondly, and again occupational, the name may describe a maker or user of "forcetier", these being steel shears widely used in both agriculture and textile production. A third possibility is that Foster is a contracted or dialectal spelling of Forester, a term which described a civil officer in charge of a forest. John Forester, who was recorded in the 1183 Pipe Rolls of the county of Surrey, was the first recorded bearer of this name. The last possible origin is very unusual. Here the derivation is from a shortened spelling of the Olde English pre 7th Century compound "cild-fostre", and as such an occupational nickname for a foster parent or possibly a foster child. John Foster, who was recorded in the 1373 Court Roll of the borough of Colchester, Essex, was of this source. The surname was one of the very first into the New England colonies of America. John Foster, age unknown, being recorded as being "alive in Virginea, on February 18th 1623". The first recorded spelling of the family name is probably that of Durand le Fuster, which was dated circa 1179, in the "Register of St. Bartholomew's Hospital", London, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Foster#ixzz1EXgsBLFO

Last name: Cain
This interesting surname has three possible sources; firstly, it may be of Old French origin, and is either a nickname for a tall, thin man, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who gathered reeds, which were needed in the Middle Ages as a floor covering, and for weaving small baskets, or a topographical name for someone who lived in a damp area overgrown with reeds. It derives from the Middle English "cane", a development of the Old French "cane", meaning cane, reed. Secondly, it may be a Norman locational name from the town of Caen, in Calvados, Normandy, named with the Gaulish elements "catu", battle, plus "magos" meaning field, plain. Finally, it may be of Welsh origin, deriving from the female given name "Keina", perhaps a short form of such Welsh personal names as "Ceindrych, Ceinwen", from the Welsh "cain" meaning beautiful. The surname dates back to the late 12th Century (see below). London Church Records list the marriage of Michaell Cain to Rebecca Chapell, on February 2nd 1600, at St. Bride's, Fleet Street. A Coat of Arms granted to a Cain family is black, a silver phoenix. The Crest is a demi antelope per fesse blue and silver, gold collared and armed. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Godfrey Kein, which was dated 1198, in the "Abbey of Bury St. Edmund's, Suffolk", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Cain#ixzz1EXh4dWWA

Last name: Kenny
This most interesting surname is of Old Gaelic origin, found in Scotland and Ireland, and is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O Cionnaoith", composed of the Gaelic prefix "O", male descendant of, and the personal name "Coinneach", an Old Irish personal name borne by a 6th Century monk and saint who gave his name to the town of Kilkenny, "Church of Coinneach". The name is the seventy-sixth most popular name in Ireland, and the majority of the people so called belong to Counties Roscommon and Galway. The O'Kenny sept formed part of the Ui Maine (Hy Many) tribe. By coincidence Kenny is also the name of a prominent English family from Somerset, who through extensive intermarriage with County Galway families became important landowners there and in Roscommon. They descended from Nicholas Kenny, Escheator-General for Ireland under Elizabeth 1. The name in Scotland, may, in some instances, be the Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name "Cionaodha", perhaps composed of "cion", respect, affection, and "Aodh", the pagan god of fire. The surname is first recorded in England because record keeping in Ireland has been perforce erratic since the 12th Century due to the upheavals of war and occupation. Rev. P.J. Kenny S.J. (1779 - 1841), was founder of Clongoweswood College, an exclusive private school in Ireland, and was one of the most distinguished Catholic preachers in the 19th Century. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Matyle Kennie, which was dated February 14th 1563, at St. Andrew's, Holborn, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Kenny#ixzz1EXhDczgp

Last name: O'Mahoney
This is an anglicized form of the Olde Gaelic name Mac Mathghamhna. The Gaelic prefix "mac" means "son (of)" plus the personal nickname Mathghamhan, a bear. Mathghamhan was the son of Cian Mac Mael Muda, a 10th Century prince and his wife, Sadbh, who was the High King, Brian Boru's daughter. In modern Gaelic the name is written as O'Mahuna and anglicized as (O) Mahony and (O) Mahoney. The sept belonged almost exclusively to south west Munster where they built fourteen fortified castles incuding one at Rosbrin in Co. Cork. The famous "Bells of Shandon", a poem about Cork City, was written by Sylvester Mahony under the pseudonym Father Prout. John O' Mahony (1816 - 1877) was co-founder of the Fenian Brotherhood (1858). He translated Keating's Gaelic "history of Ireland". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Father Francis O' Mahony. which was dated 1626, Provincial of the Irish Franciscans. during the reign of King Charles I of England 1625 - 1649. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/O'Mahoney#ixzz1EXhS1eei

Last name: McComiskey
Recorded in many spellings including MacComiskey, MacCumisky, MacCumesky, and the short forms commencing Mc, as well as many without the suffix at all such as Comiskey, Cumeskey, Commiskey, and Comaskey, this is an Irish surname. It derives from the pre 10th century Olde Gaelic surname "Mac Cumascaigh", translating as the son of Cumascach, the latter being a personal name meaning powerful! It is said that the adjective cumascach refers to mental powers as well as physical ability, although it has to be said that most early Irish surnames have a "warrior" base. This great sept originated in the Clones area of County Monaghan and from hence moved south to inhabit counties Cavan, Longford and Westmeath. In the Hearth Money Rolls of County Monaghan, dated 1664 - 1666 McComiskie is widely recorded, and Roger Commoskey, of Dundalk, appears on a list or army personnel of the 17th century, Dundalk being over the border from the homeland of the sept. It is interesting to note that Comerford is occasionally used as an anglicized form of Mac Cumascaigh in the Cavan-Longford area. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Teag Mac Cumascaigh. This was dated 1000 a.d, in the ancient records of Clones, County Monaghan, during the reign of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, 1002 - 1014. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/McComiskey#ixzz1EXhhyKe0

Last name: O'Hare
Recorded as O'Hare and O'Hair, sometimes McHare, or Hare or Hair, this is a famous Irish clan surname. It is said to have been one of the few surnames to resist the temptation in the 17th century to discard the Gaelic prefix O', meaning male descendant of. Nevertheless there has been and there remains, considerable confusion in Ireland as to the true origin, because many English and Scottish settlers were also called Hare or Hair. The situation is now that it is difficult, if not impossible in many cases, given the paucity of records, to distinguish between origins. It would seem that people called Hare or Hair with or without the O' prefix, may be descendants of English settlers, but where the name in any spelling is found west of th River Shannon, the origin is almost certainly the Gaelic O'hEir. This has the unusual meaning of 'The male descendant of the angry one'. As to who was angry, and why, is not known, but like most Gaelic surnames this one does originate from a nickname for the first chief. To add to the confusion, the name if spelt as Hair or Haier and found in West Clare, may have a quite different origin. These nameholders are believed to be a part of Clan McGarry, whose name originates from the Gaelic word 'girrfhiadh' meaning - a hare! Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/O'Hare#ixzz1EXi01HPs

all easy to find on this site

http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname

Hi

Thankyou for the kind offer. Could you look up the surname WALDRON for me please.

Many Thanks

Nicola

Hi Ann,
If you have the time would you be able to look up the surname Flemming for me? I've recently found a gene line with connections to Limerick/Clare back in the 1830's..
Any info on the origin of the surname wouls be greatly appreciated.
Best wishes,
Chevaun.

Last name: Waldron
This is a surname of ancient pre 7th century origins. Recorded in the spellings of Waldram, Waldren, Waldron, Waleran, and Walrond, it is an excellent example of a style of individual name from the "Dark ages". It derives from the Olde German personal compound name "Wala-hram", and whilst it may have been introduced into Britain by the 8th century Anglo-Saxons, the first certain recordings are Norman-French, or at least after the 1066 Norman Invasion. These are found in the 1086 Domesday Book for Essex in the Latinized spellings of "Waleranni" and "Galeranni". The name translates literally as "Wall-raven", but it is probable that the original meaning was more on the lines of "strong bird", walls being associated with great strength, whilst the raven is heraldically known for its wisdom and cunning. Early examples of the name recording include Walerannus de Crikelade in the Pipe Rolls of Oxford for the year 1182, whilst Robert Waldrond is recorded for Worcester and Matilda Waldron in Warwick, both in the Hundred Rolls for their particular county in the year 1275. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Waleram. which was dated 1196, in the charters of the district of Clerkenwell, London. during the reign of King Richard I, known as "The Lion Heart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Waldron#ixzz1EadfUViq